Ask Macworld editors to name our best-loved apps , and most of us would cite Dropbox . The file cabinet - synchronizing service has revolutionized the way we expend our Macs ; we ’re always looking for new things it can do .
Towards that end , a couple of month ago we posted anote on Macworld.com , asking readers , “ How do you use Dropbox ? ” The reception was incredible : Between our forums and electronic mail , we get nearly 250 trace . We separate through them and then boiled them down to our 60 deary . ( We supply two tips of our own at the beginning , to establish the basics . )
The Basics
1Go toDropboxand set up an write up . Next , download and set up the Dropbox app . Put files and folders that you need to access from various locations and devices into your new Dropbox booklet . Then repeat these steps on your other Macs , Windows personal computer , and iOS machine . One benefit of put in authoritative file in Dropbox is that it mechanically retains older rendering of your file , so you’re able to return to them if necessary .
2Create folders in Dropbox , and then create emblematical connexion to those folders on your Mac . Once you ’ve done this , whenever you come along to be redeem a file to a folder on your Mac ( to~/Documents / Work , say ) you ’re actually saving it to Dropbox ( /Dropbox / Work ) .
There are a couple of ways to create symbolic links . To do it manually , open Terminal ( in /Applications / Utilities ) and enterln -s ~/Dropbox / newfolder ~/path / to / symbolic / link(adjusting as necessary for the locations of your folders ) . So , for example , if you desire to move your document booklet to Dropbox , you could do so and then put down this bidding in Terminal : ln -s ~/Dropbox / papers ~/Documents .
Store copies of user manuals (see #8).
If you ’d rather not futz with the statement line , you could alternatively use utility such as MacDropAny ( ) , SymbolicLinker ( ) , orDropLinkto accomplish the same thing .
What you store
3It ’s belike impractical to put your intact user folder in Dropbox , but you may put the most of import leaflet there : The Documents booklet is an obvious one . The Music and Photos folders might work if you have enough Dropbox quad . ( recall , you could kick upstairs from the 2 GB that Dropbox gives you for destitute to 50 GB [ $ 10 per month ] or 100 GB [ $ 20 a month ] make up account . ) make symbolic links to those folders from your various machines , and you ’ll have fundamentally the same Mac wherever you go .
4If your hard drive is particularly small , make room on it by moving some of your file to Dropbox .
5Many of us store the files and folders for active projection on the desktop . Put them in Dropbox rather .
Sync data for apps like TextExpander (see #12).
6Scan significant personal papers — your pass , driver ’s license , marriage certificate , and so on — and store the scan in Dropbox ; that style , you could get to them anytime you need to put up a written matter .
7Archive the original installation filing cabinet of your apps so that you’re able to install ( or reinstall ) them as necessary on any of your macintosh .
Store copy of exploiter manuals ( see # 8) .
Keep iChat logs in sync (see #21)
8Download PDF copies of the user manuals for products you own — appliances and house - entertainment equipment especially — from the marketer ’ Websites , and then carry through them all to Dropbox .
9As long as your music collection is small ( or your Dropbox storage parceling sufficiently large ) , hive away your iTunes media in Dropbox : make an iTunes Media folder in Dropbox and copy your media files to it . In iTunes , go to iTunes ▶ Preferences , select the Advanced tab , and select the Dropbox folder as the iTunes Media Folder Location . ( You should n’t sync the iTunes Music Library.xml file ; doing so can reportedly make iTunes fluid . )
10Synchronize Address Book contacts by move the ~/Library / software Support / Address Book leaflet to Dropbox and then produce a symbolic connectedness from its old location to its new one .
Share files for different projects from Dropbox’s public folder (see #30)
11If you use an inventory app such as Home Inventory ( ) or My Stuff ( ) to keep track of your belongings , save its information files in Dropbox . If the worst should come to run , you ’ll have a full list of point to refer to for policy purposes .
12Several third - party utilities — notably1Password ( ) and TextExpander ( ) — allow you lay in their data filing cabinet in Drop- box ; you make the alteration in each political program ’s preferences . Even if there is n’t denotative Dropbox funding , you’re able to sometimes synchronize an app ’s data files by ( a ) finding out where those files are stored and then ( b ) using the symbolic connexion antic to move them to Dropbox .
13Add an extra stratum of trade protection to Dropbox ’s own security by create an encrypted container within your Dropbox folder . Several third - party utilities — includingTrueCrypt — will help you do so ; or you’re able to employ OS X ’s own Disk Utility to produce an encrypt disk image . Do n’t use OS X ’s FileVault with Dropbox ; they do not get along .
Create an Automator workflow that moves selected Finder items to Dropbox (see #56)
Sync data for apps like TextExpander ( see # 12 ) .
14Programmers : checker an Xcode project out of the source - control system at work and into a Dropbox folder . At home that night , fire up Xcode , pointing it at the same Dropbox leaflet , and continue work . When you get back to work on the next mean solar day , hold in the project back into reference dominance .
15Web developer : utilise Dropbox to salt away “ local ” transcript of files you ’re work with on live servers . As you change those file , from dissimilar location , they ’ll synchronize , so you ’ll always have current copies to work on .
Create a rule in Hazel to automatically process files that are saved to a specific Dropbox folder (see #59)
16Move the WWW Receipts folder to Dropbox , and then edit the Save To entanglement Receipts Folder workflow so it luff to the new emplacement . Unfortunately , because that workflow is actually a Python script , delete it is nontrivial ; you ca n’t use Automator to do it . The instruction manual are uncommitted online , if you deal to search . It ’s credibly unsubdivided to just create a new Save Receipts shortcut instead .
To do so , navigate to /Library / PDF Services and move the existing Save PDF to Web Receipts Folder.pdfworkflow script somewhere else for safekeeping . Now move the Web Receipts folder from your Documents brochure to Dropbox . Make an alias of it ( not a symbolic tie-in ) , and sweep that alias into /Library / PDF Services . If you want to , you’re able to rename the alias to make it more active—‘Save To Receipts Folder , ’ perhaps .
17Keep your iWeb domain files in Dropbox . ( By nonremittal , they ’re in ~/Library / program Support / iWeb / Domain . )
18Store all your plain - textual matter musical note in Dropbox . Plain text is the ideal grouchy - platform format , and there are many , many text editor in chief ( for both OS X and Io ) that are Dropbox - friendly .
19Synchronize your web browser bookmarker . If you employ Safari , that stand for move the leaflet ~/Library / Safari to Dropbox , and then creating a symbolic link from the old positioning to the Modern .
Firefox store its bookmarks in a filing cabinet called ‘ places .sqlite , ’ which is bury in the folder ~/Library / program Support / Firefox / Profiles / randomsequenceofcharacters.default . You could synchronise that one file in Dropbox as you do other files . Or you could synchronize your intact visibility ‚ which includes your history , saved tablet , and more , in addition to bookmarks , by contemporize that entire booklet .
20If you ’d rather not go to the difficulty of synchronizing bookmark files or profiles , you could always synchronise .webloc files link to specific Websites .
Keep iChat logs in sync ( see # 21 )
21Sync instant - message transcripts : If you use iChat , move the iChats booklet from Documents to Dropbox . Then reach the Messages tab in Preferences and choose that folder from Save Chat Transcripts To . If you use the Adium IM client , its logs are kept in ~/Library / program Support / Adiumversionnumber / Users / Default / Logs .
One file, many places
22Keep your grocery list as a textbook file cabinet in Dropbox , where it will be accessible from anywhere via a smartphone or an iPad . you could add to it from anywhere ; if you share it , so can your housemates , say .
23Before you leave for a job misstep , save work documents you ’ll want in Dropbox . you’re able to then access them from virtually anywhere via a Mac , an iPhone , or an iPad .
24If you habituate both Macs and Windows PCs ( whether they ’re in the same location or in unlike place ) , you’re able to access files stored in Dropbox from all of them . That does n’t apply to data point alone : Some transverse - platform apps utilize the same format for their preferences files on both Macs and PCs ; Mozilla ’s Thunderbird email apps is just one example .
25Set up aDrop- DAVaccount , and then synchronize files from the iWork retinue on the iPad with Dropbox .
26Sync files with Android phones , using that platform ’s Dropbox app .
27If your company has more than one location , and you frequently shuttle between them , keep important files in Dropbox so they ’re available wherever your authority is that day .
28Give meeting participants iPads , and sync all of those tablets to the same Dropbox folder . you may then distribute coming together order of business and scope materials instantaneously to everyone at the same time .
One file, many users
29Take advantage of Dropbox ’s LAN Sync feature to directly synchronize Macs that are on the same local electronic connection . It ’s unproblematic than configuring standard OS X file communion .
30Set up freestanding leaflet in Dropbox ’s Public folder for dissimilar clients or coworkers , and then post the separate URLs to each . Alternatively , typeset up a unlike shared folder for each project , and then distribute that URL to all project player .
Share files for unlike labor from Dropbox ’s public folder ( see # 30 )
31If you outsource some oeuvre to external contractor , send the oeuvre files they ’ll demand in Dropbox and send them the URL ; you could then stop the links when the task is done .
32Many email services have size limits on file attachment . To station files that are too big for electronic mail , send them to a share brochure in Dropbox instead .
33Working with someone who does n’t have a Dropbox news report ? Are the unconstipated shared folders or the Public leaflet not working for you ? Then expend AirDropper ( airdropper.com ) to send and receive files . It ’s Dropbox - compatible , so files transfer by AirDropper are accessible in Dropbox .
34Instead of writing the mo of a coming together by hired hand , commemorate everything in sound and then upload the leave .wav file to Dropbox . From there , you ( or someone who works for you ) can download it for written text .
35To share piece of work files among coworkers , store them in Dropbox ’s Public folder ; Control - click ( or right - click ) on a file in that brochure , select Copy Public Link , and partake in that URL . Or deal a leaflet : At dropbox.com , Control - clack on a folder , and then select Invite To Folder and supply an email address . Or select Share A Folder from the top menu .
36You can save money on postage by scan great documents and then depositing the scan in Dropbox . It ’s a lot cheaper than sending those same text file via postal service or some other pitch service .
37If your teleconferencing service does n’t have its own single file - share tools ( or if you use a generic VoIP serving like Skype for your phone meetings ) , apply Dropbox to share the file you ’ll refer to on the call .
38Have journey workers store scanned receipt and expense reports in a Dropbox pamphlet to which your accountants have entree .
39In projects that require multiple looping of a papers , expend Dropbox ’s built - in backup as an ad hoc versioning system ; if you involve to roll back to an early version of a oeuvre file , you may .
40Store your company - wide help file and insurance documents in Dropbox . That way , when you update one of them , everybody can get to the same new versions at the same time .
41Copy photos to Dropbox , and share the URL with family and friends .
42Keep your sketch in a Dropbox folder and then send out a connection to it to possible employers .
43Post PDFs of the menus ( take - out or otherwise ) for local restaurants in a share Dropbox folder , and then use that to coordinate meal out with friends and family .
44Share a Dropbox folder with parent , and point their Macs to that brochure as the informant for desktop and screensaver image . Then , when you post photo of your kids to that brochure , they ’ll show up on the grandparents ’ machines automatically .
make an Automator workflow that moves selected Finder item to Dropbox ( see # 56 )
46Use Dropbox to collaboratively care for aging relatives : If the people who are get together on an elder ’s care live in unlike place , everyone can post updates to medical and personal information in Dropbox , so everyone has the same information ; you may also leave alone notes for each other in a text document .
47Share photos from your travels with folks back home by posting the pictures from your iPhone to a shared Dropbox leaflet .
48If you ’re the nonpayment tech - support person for your friend and extended fellowship , create shared aid documents or screencasts that respond the most frequently asked query .
49Collect home account written document and picture from widely disperse relatives in one partake leaflet .
50Ask each student to create a Dropbox account and then submit their homework to a shared pamphlet in it ; no more “ I forgot my computer ” excuse .
51Store meter reading assignments that are in PDF or some other digital data format in a Dropbox pamphlet . If you make annotations in an app like GoodReader , your preeminence will then be available from anywhere .
Beyond the basics
52Go to the Send to Dropbox Website ( sendtodropbox.com ) , select Connect To Dropbox , and supply your Dropbox credentials . you could now netmail data file to Dropbox . That make all sorts of scenarios potential . For deterrent example , create a papers in Google Docs and then choose to portion out it . In the Share dip - down menu , blue-ribbon Email As Attachment and provide your Send to Dropbox e-mail name and address ; the Google Doc will come out in Dropbox ’s Attachments brochure .
53Open email fastening on the iPad in GoodReader . Review the document and then deliver it from GoodReader to Dropbox . When you get back to your Mac , a copy will be wait for you in your Dropbox folder .
54Use Dropbox as a backup for your backup . Assuming that your Time Machine backup sets are n’t too huge , sporadically save one of them to Dropbox . If both your computer ’s heavy movement and your backup drive should fail , you could still recover some data . Or , if you notice that your Mac is acting funny , cursorily simulate authoritative single file to Dropbox , in vitrine your Mac really strike apart .
55Save incrementally between Time Machine ’s hourly championship : Save a copy of whatever you ’re working on at the minute to Dropbox , adding some sort of time - postage stamp to its filename .
56Create an Automator table service that copies or motion selected file cabinet in the Finder to Dropbox ( with permission to overwrite subsist files ) , and then launches the Dropbox app for straightaway synchronization .
Create a rule in Hazel to automatically process files that are saved to a specific Dropbox folder ( see # 59 )
57Normally , Dropbox saves versions of your data file for 30 day . If you have one of the for - pay Pro accounts , you may install thePack - Rat ADHD - on . Dropbox will then relieve those files indefinitely .
58If you have a Indian file on a remote Mac that you need to access from your iOS gimmick , use SSH or a VNC app like LogMeIn to relate to the Mac and then replicate the filing cabinet to your Dropbox folder ; when you next sync , the file will be usable on your iPhone or iPad .
59Automate Dropbox folders by using OS X ’s Folder Actions or Noodlesoft ’s Hazel ( ) . For example : Save iPhone pic to a Dropbox leaflet that Hazel monitors . When it sees that a new exposure has been supply to the brochure , it can then utilize some mental image processing and simulate the process adaptation to another booklet on your Mac or in Dropbox .
60Forget about complicated file - sharing setting : Just instal the Dropbox app on all of your devices .
61Configure your BitTorrent guest to supervise a Dropbox folder and immediately broach downloads when a raw .torrent Indian file is added to it . you could then copy a file to that Dropbox brochure to lead up the download . ( Just ensure your client is configure to keep those downloads to somewhere other than Dropbox . )
62If you take to give the same subject matter to a crew of different people , do n’t call them one by one and read from a script . Instead , record the message and put up the recording to a public Dropbox folder . Then email the link to everyone .
What You Shouldn’t Sync
Users have reported problem when they ’ve tried to synchronize some files via Dropbox . One common ribbon among those problem is that if a programme impediment for conflicted copies of its data point files , Dropbox could throw it .
The three biggest apps for which we ’ve seen reports about problems are :
No matter which apps you ’re synchronizing via Dropbox , you should be careful to close those file cabinet as presently as you ’re done with your straightaway redaction session . That way you wo n’t inadvertently pass on a single file assailable in one position and create Indian file conflicts when you render to open it from another .
